Share this:

THE weekly staff meeting, the annual review and the office holiday party aren’t your only opportunities to bond with the boss. Taking advantage of chance encounters both inside and outside the office is a time-honored career enhancer.

All run-ins are not created equal, though. (Think loud subway platform first thing in the morning vs. the elevator after a late night at the office.) So it’s just professionally smart to be prepared to sell yourself a little during both the lucky and the awkward run-ins with your superior.

To maximize any situation, we recommend the following: Learn your boss’ likes, dislikes and hobbies; have a few industry questions at the ready; read trade magazines so you know the bigger picture and review the paper every morning, because knowing what’s happening in the world gives you a wide range of topics to hit on when there’s that unwelcome moment of silence.

The following tips can help you turn even the most uncomfortable situation into a career-enhancing opportunity – or at avoid a career-ruining moment.

The lucky

In the elevator: The average elevator ride lasts about a minute, so you need to make an impression quickly. Prepare for this opportunity. When publishing executive Leigh Ann Ambrosi found herself in the elevator one morning with a senior member of her company, she brought up some suggestions for addressing issues raised in a recent staff meeting.

“When we got to my floor, he stepped off with me to continue the conversation,” she reports. “It wasn’t something I normally would have initiated, but when it was clear he really appreciated my input, I was so glad I did.”

At a restaurant or bar: Since most of us are more relaxed after hours and with friends than across a conference table, running into your boss at a restaurant or bar is a great opportunity to sell yourself.

A boss likes to have her ego stroked just like everyone else, so without being too obvious about it, compliment her on a recent contribution she made to the company, and demonstrate that you’ve noticed the positive impact she’s having on the organization, and on you. If all goes well, it’s the perfect time to ask for additional time or guidance (e.g.: Can you make an appointment for next week to get advice on a current project?).

The awkward

At the drugstore: One of the worst places to encounter a higher-up.

“Nothing is worse than seeing what your manager is picking up at the pharmacy,” says p.r. exec Aimee Bianca.

If you find yourself in the unenviable position of standing next to your boss in the personal hygiene aisle, politely smile and say “Good morning” (or afternoon, or evening) and move along. If you know with 100 percent certainty you can hide without being seen, then do that.

On the subway: It’s loud, it’s dirty, it’s not the easiest place to have a conversation – but it is, however, the perfect place to show off your knowledge of the current events you just read in the paper and how they’re impacting your industry.

The bathroom: Restroom run-ins can be uncomfortable at best, but if you find yourself in the loo with your boss, don’t scurry out without saying hello. Trust us, bosses want to be acknowledged. That being said, it isn’t the time to accost them with your brilliant idea, either. Look your boss in the eye as you greet him, then give him his privacy.

Remember: The key to successfully navigating any chance run-in is to read the situation. If your manager asks for your input on a client issue while you’re washing your hands at the sink, go for it and forget about respecting her privacy. On the flip side, if you’re on the train and he looks longingly at his Wall Street Journal while you hold forth on the Mets’ starting lineup, give him some room.

Friedman and Yorio are co-authors of “The Girl’s Guide to Being a Boss Without Being a Bitch.”